Theft deterrent system

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for dispensing products including a mechanism for limiting the movement of multiple products within a housing to one direction, at least one product retaining structure for preventing access to multiple products in a given period of time, and at least one theft deterring mechanism.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.60/677,252, filed May 2, 2005, which is incorporated in its entiretyherein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to devices for dispensing products. Morespecifically, the invention relates to dispensing devices thatincorporate theft deterrent measures, such as locks, time delays andsound.

2. General Background

Theft in retail stores is an all too common problem. Items that are inhigh demand by thieves include over-the-counter (OTC) products such asanalgesics and cough and cold medications, razor blades, camera film,batteries, videos, DVDs, smoking cessation products and infant formula.Theft of infant formula in particular raises unique concerns. In manycases, the infant formula is stolen by retail theft rings for resale.The infant formula may not be stored under proper conditions, whichthreatens the integrity of the product. The retail theft ring may createcounterfeit labels for the infant formula that alter the expiration dateor indicate that it is a more expensive or specialized formula. As aresult, when these products make their way back into the legitimatedistribution chain, parents may be feeding their babies unsafe oradulterated products.

Typical store displays, such as placing items on a shelf, may lead tocertain shoplifting techniques. For example, shelf sweeping, whenindividuals or groups remove all the shelf stock and exit the store, isa particularly effective and troublesome technique.

Retailers are constantly challenged to balance the needs of legitimateconsumers' access to high theft items with measures to minimize theincidence of theft. Because theft has become so rampant in certainproduct categories, such as razors and infant formula, many retailstores are taking the products off the shelves and placing them behindthe counter or under lock and key. Customers must request the productsin order to make a purchase. This requires additional labor costs toprovide individual service to customers who would normally not requireit. It also makes it difficult for customers to compare products.Furthermore, it may be impossible where the space behind the counter islimited and is needed for prescription medications.

It has long been known to place items such as cigarettes, sodas andnewspapers in vending machines. Such machines require completeself-service by the customer. The customer places money into the vendingmachine and the machine dispenses the desired item. Typical vendingmachines, however, do not allow for variation in product size and canonly vend the particular item that they were designed for. Additionally,typical vending machines may be inconsistent with the way that peoplecurrently purchase items; many people prefer to use credit or debitcards instead of cash. Vending machines also occupy a great deal ofspace. Finally, typical vending machines do not employ any mechanism toprevent a purchaser from quickly dispensing all the items in the vendingmachine.

Thus, a device or dispensing apparatus that minimizes the likelihood ofsweeping or unusually high numbers of multiple purchases is needed. Sucha device or dispensing apparatus should be able to fit within commongrocery, drug store or other retail environment shelves. It is alsodesirable that the device or dispensing apparatus effectively displaythe products so consumers can easily identify the products. It is alsopreferable that the dispensing apparatus be easy to use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus for dispensingproducts including a mechanism for limiting the movement of multipleproducts within a housing to one direction, at least one productretaining structure for preventing access to multiple products in agiven period of time, and at least one theft deterring mechanism.

In some embodiments, the mechanism for limiting the movement of theproducts to one direction includes an indexer wheel and pawl.

In other embodiments, the at least one product retaining structureincludes a pair of doors that open simultaneously, but closesequentially, thus blocking access to the products for a period of thetime. In specific embodiments, the doors may be rotating doors that arecontrolled by an electromechanical mechanism.

In still other embodiments, the theft deterring mechanism is a timedelay between the dispensing of products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an assembled dispenser accordingto certain embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the assembled dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of an assembled dispenser accordingto certain embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side plan view of a dispensing module of a dispenseraccording to certain embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear plan view of a dispensing module of a dispenseraccording to certain embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an assembled dispenser according to analternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the assembled dispenser of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of the dispenser of FIG.6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention will now be described more fully withreference to the drawings.

In one embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 1-5, the dispenser 10includes an outer housing 11. The outer housing may be formed of anymaterial suitable for holding the intended products, such as metal ormolded plastic. The outer housing 11 may be a single part or may beformed from multiple parts. As shown in FIG. 1, in certain embodiments,the outer housing 11 may include a left case side 12, a right case side14 and a front case cover 38. The left case side 12 and the right case14 side may be formed of molded plastic.

The dispenser 10 can be used to store and dispense a plurality ofproducts 54 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Generally, the products 54 to be dispensedare located inside the outer housing 11 between the right case side 14and the left case side 12. An inner shelf 28 (FIG. 2) may be used todivide the area inside the housing 11 into an upper area (not visible inthe drawings and located behind front case door 40) and a lower area 26(FIG. 1) to allow additional products 54 to be stored within thedispenser 10. In certain embodiments, the left case side 12 and theright case side 14 include slots or keyholes 52 in which the inner shelf28 fits.

The interior of the outer housing 11 includes an angled surface 56 inthe lower area 26. The angled surface 56 is shaped such that at leastthe ends of some of the products 54 rest on the angled surface 56.Because the surface 56 is angled towards the dispensing opening 44 inthe front case cover 38, the products 54 move forward by gravity. Theangled surface 56 may extend across the full width of the product 54 ormay be two separate angled surfaces 56 located below each end of theproduct 54, as shown in FIG. 2.

In certain embodiments, the products 54 or at least the packaging of theproducts 54 in the dispenser 10 are round so that the products 54 easilymove forward by gravity on the angled surface 56. In other embodiments,at least the ends of the product 54 or its packaging may be round tofacilitate the movement of the products 54 forwardly.

Multiple products may be located in the dispenser 10, as shown in FIG.4. However, only one product 54 is in the dispensing position andaccessible to customers at any one time.

To dispense products 54, a consumer lifts an outer door 18 of thedispenser 10. An inner door 16 may be connected to the outer door 18 sothat when the outer door 18 is opened, the inner door 16 is also opened.In certain embodiments, a gear 20 facilitates this coordinated movementof the two doors 16, 18. The gear 20 may include structure, such as anextension, arm or post, to engage the outer and inner doors 18, 16. Asshown in FIG. 2, a post 58 fits into an opening 62 in the outer door 18.On the opposite side of the gear 20, additional structures, such as arms60 fit into the openings 64 in the inner door 16. When the outer door 18is manually opened by a consumer, teeth 66 located on outer door 18engage gear 20. As the outer door 18 rotates, the gear 20 rotates. Thegear 20 is directly connected to the inner door 16 by arms 60. Thus,inner door 16 also rotates and opens with the outer door 18. In otherembodiments, inner door 16 and outer door 18 are not connected and thecustomer must lift the inner door 16 after lifting the outer door 18.

When both the inner and outer doors 16, 18 are open, they rotate, pivot,slide or otherwise move so that a single product 54 to be dispensed isaccessible to the customer, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. When the innerand outer doors 16, 18 are open, the inner and outer doors 16, 18 arelocated between the product 54 to be dispensed and the next availableproduct 55, as shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, springs 50 may be connected to the outer door18. As the outer door 18 rotates to open, the spring 50 extends andexerts pressure on the outer door 18 to close. Thus, the outer door 18closes after the customer has removed the product 54 to be dispensed. Toprevent the outer door 18 from closing too quickly or too forcefully, adamper 34 may be connected to the outer door 18.

The inner door 16 remains open for a period of time. While the innerdoor 16 is open, it physically blocks the next available product 55 frommoving into the dispensing position. After the desired period of timehas passed, the inner door 16 rotates closed. When the inner door 16closes, the next available product 55 moves forward into the dispensingposition.

In some embodiments, the closing of the inner door 16 is controlled by amechanical mechanism. For example, the gear 20 may have an extension 68.This extension 68 can be connected to a motor 36. When the desiredperiod of time has passed, the motor 36 is activated and turns the gear20, closing inner door 16. In some embodiments, the closing of the outerdoor 18 trips a switch that allows the inner door 16 to start closing.Springs 50 puts tension on inner door 16 to close; however, if the outerdoor 18 is left open or is reopened, the inner door 16 will not closeand the next product will not move forward.

The dispenser 10 according to the invention is also simple to stock andrestock. According to some embodiments, products 54 are placed in thedispenser 10 by opening the case front door 40 and simply placing theproducts 54 one by one in the opening 42 onto the inner shelf 28. Theinner shelf 28 may be angled to facilitate the movement of products 54toward the back of the dispenser 10 and into the lower area 26.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the dispenser 10 includes anadditional theft deterrent mechanism that prevents would-be thieves fromremoving products 54 from the stocking area behind the front case door40. In certain embodiments, the additional theft deterrent mechanism isa lock on the case front door 40. In these embodiments, a key isnecessary to open the case front door 40 and stock the dispenser 10. Inother embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of indexer wheels 32 isthe additional theft deterrent mechanism. The indexer wheels 32 arejoined by a hex shaft 30. When the product 54 is placed in the stockingarea 24, the product 54 moves toward the back of the dispenser 10because of the angled inner shelf 28. As it moves backwards, the product54 moves over the hex shaft 30 and the weight of the product 54 causesthe indexer wheel 32 to rotate towards the back of the dispenser 10. Apawl 46 may be used to insure that the indexer wheel 32 isunidirectional and thus, any thieves are prevented from pulling aproduct 54 out of the stocking opening 42 in the front case cover 38.

In some embodiments, the dispenser 10 may be placed on a shelf or acounter. In other embodiments, the dispenser 10 may be attached to astandard store display. The dispenses may be attached directly to ashelf or may be attached with a secondary mounting bracket.

In an alternative embodiment of this invention, shown in FIGS. 6-8,dispenser 100 includes left case side 102 and right case side 104, whichare joined at one end by top support 106 and at the rear end of thedevice by back cross supports 107. Top support 106 provides support foran additional dispenser when the dispensers are stacked upon oneanother. In addition, locking ridge 108 accepts a locking element, suchas locking element 110, from another dispenser so that the units aresecured together. Locking element 110 also elevates the dispenser unit100 so that it rests at an angle and allows gravity to move producttoward the front of the dispenser.

Front door 112 is attached to control arms 114 and opens outward toexpose a single product (not shown) resting on sloped surfaces 115 offeeding panels 116. Control arms 114 attach to feeding panels 116 andlock when the door 112 is open, so that panels 116 are not able toaccept another product from storage area 118. Feeding shaft 121 connectsfeeding panels 116.

Spring 120 may be connected to the door 112. As the front door 112opens, spring 120 extends and exerts pressure on the door 112 to close.Thus, the front door 112 closes after the customer has removed a productto be dispensed. Both damper 122 and second spring 124 attach to thefeeding panel 116, so that spring 124 and damper 122 slow the return ofthe feeding panels 116 and create a time delay between dispensingproducts.

The foregoing description is provided for describing various embodimentsand structures relating to the invention. Various modifications,additions and deletions may be made to these embodiments and/orstructures without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

1. A device for controlled dispensing of product comprising: (a) anouter door, (b) a product dispensing area behind the outer door, (c) aninner door attached to the outer door so that when the outer door isopened, the inner door rotates and blocks additional product from movinginto the product dispensing area, and (d) a spring for urging the outerdoor closed.
 2. A device for controlled dispensing of productcomprising: (a) a front door; (b) at least one display panel; (c) atleast one control arm attached to the front door and to the displaypanel; and (d) a spring urging the front door to a closed position;wherein the control arm prevents movement of the display panel when thefront door is opened, blocking access to additional product.